Eco-Paper 101: Making the Right Choice

In today's printing world there are numerous choices when it comes to selecting paper and the environment.  As a consumer, your choice should be an informed one!

When selecting a paper for your project, some important factors to consider are:

• Price
• Whiteness
• Brightness
• Opacity
• The Environment

This post looks at some of the main environmental considerations.

How does paper rank in regard to the environment?

There are many factors to consider when determining what is the most environmentally friendly choice, such as:  What source was the paper made from (virgin wood, recycled, or alternative non-tree sources), what chemicals were involved in its processing, and how far does it need to travel.
Although virgin papers may not be as environmentally friendly as recycled alternatives, if your choice is to use virgin paper, consider using one that comes from a managed forest and has been certified by an organization such as the Forest Stewardship Council.

To help you understand the environmental impact of different types of paper, we have included the following paper steps rating chart created by WhatsInYourPaper.com:

Want To See The Numbers?

In this chart, the Environmental Defense Fund compares the major environmental inputs and outputs from producing different types of paper:  1 ton of virgin paper, 1 ton of 50% recycled paper, and one ton of 100% recycled paper.  Clearly, the recycled option is the least harmful.

Chemical Processing:

There are several bleaching processes that are involved in producing paper.  The least environmentally friendly are ones that involve chlorine because they produce dioxins and other chemical pollutants in the process.  Just as there are eco-friendly alternatives to obtain pulp, there is also an eco-hierarchy in chemical processing as illustrated below:

The Transportation factor:

Buying local is environmentally the best choice because transportation consumes energy and produces greenhouse gases, particularly because paper is so heavy.  Moreover, it is important to consider the supply chain.  For example, a mill may be local but its source pulp comes from across the globe.

In Conclusion:

When it comes to choosing the environmentally-friendly paper, look for a high percentage of post-consumer recycled materials.  If there is no good recycled option, the next best choice is paper sourced from responsibly managed forests.  Look for chlorine-free certifications, and of course, buy local!

Young's Printing is proud to offer an extremely broad selection of papers.  As you can see, the environmental considerations alone can be daunting, and we may have barely skimmed the surface in this post.  We are happy to consult with you to make sure you make the right paper choice for your next printing project.

Have a different point of view?  Did we miss some critical elements in the eco-equation?  Please respond to this blog and let us--and the rest of the blogosphere know!